Implicit Bias Reflection and Response

Implicit Bias Reflection and Response

Prepare a paper between 11-12 pages that addresses the following parts:

Part 1: Implicit Association Tests 

Go to https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html and complete 5 Implicit Association Tests: Race, Gender-Career, Sexuality, Age, and Disability

Part 2: Reflection Paper (5 pages)

For each IAT address the following questions:

  1. Were you surprised by your test result? Why or why not? What feelings or reactions did you have?What are the sources of implicit bias (Consider your childhood and family upbringing; the neighborhoods in which you’ve lived; elements of your career path; media messages; your family and peer networks; etc.) that are reflected in each of your test results? How might these experiences have shaped your biases, with or without your conscious awareness?
  2. How might your implicit biases impact your work with this group of vulnerable and oppressed people?
  3. How might knowing your IAT results affect your future actions and decisions, both in your role at your workplace and in other aspects of your life?

Part 3: Reading and Response Papers (6 pages)

Use your IAT results to select 2 articles that address social work practice with a vulnerable population. For each article complete the following:

  1. Description – In your own words, write a two-page description indicating the major substantive content covered. Detail the purpose of the article and major points made by the author(s). Do not use quotations, paraphrase instead. Also, do not use in-text citations.
  2. Reflection – In half a page, identify and discuss 3 new things you learned from reading the article. How will this reduce your implicit bias? Be specific. 
  3. Practice Application – In half a page, from the new knowledge acquired through the reflection, develop at least 3 practice applications. Specifically, what will YOU do in practice as a result of reading the article? What action will you take?

Ø BE SURE TO REVIEW THE VAGUE VERSUS SPECIFIC DOCUMENT UNDER THE COURSE REOURCES MODULE ON CANVAS (See below)

Remember that students generally lose the most points on the first assignment by providing vague or generic practice applications that are not linked to the articles.

Below I listed vague practice applications that will not score high along with more specific ones that will maximize your score.

  • Vague – I will do more research on older adults.
  • Specific – I will read the article. “The Strengths of Older Adults: Implications for Social Work” by Forrest and Bender
  • Vague – I will advocate with my employer on this issue.
  • Specific – I will seek a meeting with my supervisor to discuss creation of an adhoc workgroup to better explore service implications of homelessness about LGBTQIA youth.
  • Vague – I will remember to think about these things in practice.
  • Specific – I will list my pre-ssuppositions (things you presuppose i.e stereotypes) about people with disabilities before each intake in order to separate out their unique experiences from my personal implicit and explicit biases.

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